COME AND BE SAFE ABOARD
(Message during the launching of the S.A.F.E Aboard
DVD Instructional Series)

By FR. JOEL JASON, SThL
Dean of Studies, San Carlos Seminary and Minister
Ministry for Family and Life of the Archdiocese of Manila

In the first pages of the Bible, we hear of the story of the flood that devastated the world and everything in it.  But Noah and his family were saved because they were safe aboard the ship that God instructed Noah to build.

In the New Testament, the apostles too feared for their lives as they were tossed about by winds and waves one stormy and violent night on the sea.  But they too were safe because Jesus decided to be with them.

Today, the family, and individual men and women, are experiencing a new kind of flood, a different kind of winds and waves, all of which obscure the vision of God for humanity and the family – the flood of error, of misunderstanding, of ignorance; the violent winds and waves of moral relativism.

The primordial temptation of the serpent to the first couple was “…and you will be like Gods” (Gen 3:5).  Yes, man and woman were created in the image of God but the serpent tempted them to be like God apart from and in opposition to God.  When we begin to think that we can decide when life begins and when life ends and therefore resort to abortion and euthanasia, we want ‘to be like God” apart from God.  When we think we can regulate the number of our children not by God’s way but ours, in the process destroying the blessing of fertility with contraception, we want “to be like God” apart from God.  When we begin to think that marriage as simply two persons deciding to live together and not as the permanent and committed union of male and female for the couple’s good and in view of the rearing children, we decide “to be like God” apart from God.  The temptation of the serpent is as real today as it was in Genesis.

But we too, just like Noah and the apostles can be safe, if we remain “safe aboard” in the ship of God’s will for the humanity and the family.

This is the rationale for the S.A.F.E. Aboard DVD instructional videos.  SAFE ABOARD is a series of educational videos instructing the family on different issues affecting the Filipino family of today.  The value formation S.A.F.E. (Subtle Attacks Against the Family Explained) has been adopted by the Ministry for Family and Life of the Archdiocese of Manila since 2005, continuing on the program originally started by Fr. Gregory Gaston in 2001 under the late Archbishop of Manila Jaime L. Cardinal Sin.  From then on, SAFE has been a major tool in catechizing and evangelizing the lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Manila and beyond.  So far, almost 80% of the parishes in the Archdiocese have been conducted or attended a SAFE formation program.  SAFE has also been given in other dioceses such as Palo, Legaspi, Cabanatuan and many others.  Countless “safers” as we fondly called them, have requested our office to put the formation program in videos so that they may have something to continuously study and learn from on their own.  Watching the videos in the comfort of their homes will allow people to soak in the beautiful vision of God for humanity and the family.  The videos can also be “portable” catechetical tool for everyone involved in the family ministry.

It is no accident that we hold the launch of the SAFE ABOARD videos on the feast of the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  It was Mary’s “yes” that made us belong to the family of God.  It will also be with Mary’s “yes” to God’s vision for humanity and the family,

Be informed, be formed.  Come and be safe aboard!